Trexler Library | Muhlenberg College

Introduction to Psychology

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Selected Reference Materials

Corsini, R.J. (1999). The Dictionary of Psychology. Philadelphia, PA: Brunner/Mazel, Taylor, and Francis.
Reference 150.3 C826d

Craighead, W.E, and Nemeroff, C.B. (Eds.). (2001). The Corsini encyclopedia of psychology and behavioral science (3rd ed.). New York: Wiley.
Reference 150.3 E562o, 2001 v.1-4

Credo Reference
Credo Reference provides access to 325 reference works, including general and subject specific dictionaries, encyclopedias, fact books, guides, companions and more from over 60 respected publishers across 17 major subject areas--all online, all searchable from one search box.

Kazdin, A.E. (Ed.). (2000). Encyclopedia of Psychology. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Reference 150.3 E563o v.1-8

Weiner, I.B. (Ed.). (2003). Handbook of Psychology. New York: Wiley.
Reference 150 H236o v.1-12

Finding Articles: Searching in PsycINFO

The PsycINFO database provides indexing of journals in Psychology and related fields from 1887 to the present. (Abstracts are included from 1984 to the present.) Books, book chapters, and dissertations are also indexed.

FIND PsycINFO

Library Homepage -- Articles A-Z (in the Find box) -- PsycINFO

SEARCH PsycINFO

1. Start with keyword searching on the main screen. In the empty Find fields, enter keywords that describe your topic. It's recommended to search across multiple fields when you're just getting started, so leave the drop-down menus at their Select a Field (optional) default.

PsycINFO search tips to remember:

Use * for truncation. Example: therap* retrieves therapy, therapies, therapeutic, etc.

Use " " for phrase searching. Example: "obsessive compulsive disorder"

2. Browse through your results. Click on any article that looks relevant to see more information about it. Read the abstract, summarizing the article.

As you look through your results, use them to your advantage.

What other words could you use in your next search? Look in the title, keywords, and abstract sections of relevant article records.

When you find a useful article, don't forget to look at its reference list. Is there anything there you might be able to use?

GET your articles

Once you have found an article you want, check for an PDF or HTML full-text link in PsycINFO.

No link? Click on the Get It! link to check the library's holdings.

Sometimes Get It will connect you directly to full-text from another database.

Still no luck? Use the Get It gateway screen to check the library's holdings, by searching the library catalog for the journal in which your article is published. Does the library have the journal online, in print, or on microfilm? Verify that the library has the year/volume you need.

Library's holdings don't match what you need? You can always get items not owned by the library from other library via Interlibrary Loan, but for this assignment you're better off just looking for another article.

Ask for help if you have trouble finding the article you need!

Remember: Don't use any items that come from Dissertation Abstracts. These are not journal articles but instead citations to dissertations.

Citing Your Sources

For help using APA Style, first consult the APA Guidelines section of your assignment description. More information is available in the Resources for Current Students section of the Psychology Department website: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/depts/psychology/studentresources.html.

For additional information on APA Style, consult the following resources.

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). (2001). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Reference Desk Reserve 808.06615 p976m 2001 (at Reference Desk)

Concise Rules of APA Style. (2005). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Reference Desk Reserve 808.06615 C744r (at Reference Desk)

Writer's Handbook (University of Wisconsin--Madison)
http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/DocAPA.html

Trexler Library handout on using APA style: http://www.muhlenberg.edu/library/reshelp/apa_example.pdf.
This and other style guide handouts available from the library website. Library Homepage -- Citation Guides (in the Research Help box).